Grinding Corn/Cobs For Chickens

Ann Yates

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Apr 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/1/98

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We have access to some field corn - Free - How could we use it to
benefit our chickens? Could we grind the whole cob and feed it? How?
What about using a chipper? Would it have to be dried first?
Decobbed? Does anybody have any ideas about this? Thanks - Ann

The Moore's

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Apr 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/2/98

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Try feeding it on the cob, I'd dry it for storage. I've seen corn on the
cob dried in roofed wire enclosures, kind of like wire silos.
--
Matt

Ken Nelson

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Apr 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/2/98

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Ann Yates <hoop...@teleplex.net> writes:

Chickens will eat the corn off the cob. My sister and I used to feed
our chickens that way when we were five. The chickens would crawl all over
us and eat the corn right off the cob. Drying it will prevent the corn from
getting moldy. If I had lots of such corn and lots of chickens, I would
grind up the corn, cob and all because I believe the cob would be good for
chickens.

regards, ken

Cheryl E Netter

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Apr 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/2/98

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In article <35230378...@teleplex.net> Ann Yates <hoop...@teleplex.net> writes:
>We have access to some field corn - Free - How could we use it to
>benefit our chickens? Could we grind the whole cob and feed it? How?
>What about using a chipper? Would it have to be dried first?
>Decobbed? Does anybody have any ideas about this? Thanks - Ann
>

My chickens are pretty good at getting the kernels out of the cob
all by themselves.

cheryl

C.A.S.

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Apr 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/2/98

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*********************************************************

They're called corn cribs. Let the corn field dry as much as
you can, then store it in a WELL-VENTILATED enclosure. A big
wire cage would be dandy.

Don't bother shelling the corn for the chickens. They
don't appreciate your efforts and will take you for
granted. Just shuck one or two and throw them
on the ground.

If your chickens are slow learners, you might get down
on your hands and knees and peck a few kernels off yourself,
just to get them started.

:>)))) -- Andy

Ann Yates

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Apr 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/2/98

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> If your chickens are slow learners, you might get down
> on your hands and knees and peck a few kernels off yourself,
> just to get them started.
>
> :>)))) -- Andy

Hmmmm... If you had sent this yesterday, I could have pulled a great April
Fool on my kids! :))

How would this affect their feed? I'm assuming that laying mash has something
important to help keeping their egg production up to par. Could this replace
or just cut back on the laying mash?

Ann

Paul

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Apr 2, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/2/98

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Ken Nelson <k...@iglou1.iglou.com> wrote in article
<EqsEw...@iglou.com>...

> Ann Yates <hoop...@teleplex.net> writes:
>
> >We have access to some field corn - Free - How could we use it to
> >benefit our chickens? Could we grind the whole cob and feed it? How?
> >What about using a chipper? Would it have to be dried first?
> >Decobbed? Does anybody have any ideas about this? Thanks - Ann
>

> Chickens will eat the corn off the cob. My sister and I used to feed
> our chickens that way when we were five. The chickens would crawl all
over
> us and eat the corn right off the cob. Drying it will prevent the corn
from
> getting moldy. If I had lots of such corn and lots of chickens, I would
> grind up the corn, cob and all because I believe the cob would be good
for
> chickens.

1. Store the corn on the cob, under a roof, with exposure to wind/air
currents. It will take care of itself for drying. Putting it in a sealed
building may cause it to mold. It needs to be 15% moisture, or have good
airflow to store properly.

2. I don't think chickens eat much of the cob, ground or not. Cattle will
eat up ground corn cobs with the grain, but chickens will mostly peck
around the cobs.

3. Ground/ rolled corn will give you a better rate of gain/ egg production
than whole kernals, but what is your situation? A couple dozen, home use,
free ear corn picked up from a field? Just feed the whole kernals, you're a
lot better off than putzing around with grinding it. Maybe. Depending on
what you want. Offer them enough 'grit' if you feed whole kernals - they
use that to grind it up themselves if you don't grind it for them. :)

--->Paul

Donovan White

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Apr 3, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/3/98

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If you have dogs like our dogs, who think that if it's on the ground and not
grass or a twig it must be food, beware of corn cobs. Our dogs eat cow feed,
chcken feed, fly blocks, cow manure, chicken manure....

Corn cobs are bad news for dogs because dogs can eat them, but they can't
digest them. So they either have to chuck them up or they have to pass them.
Which last can take a long, miserable time.

dw